HTC One (M8)

I spent some time with HTC’s flagship Android phone, the HTC One (M8), on launch day and I have to say I’m really impressed.

The larger, 5 inch, 1080p screen and all-aluminum body is truly a sight to behold. The build quality has no equal in the smartphone space and the same was true last year with the M7. With its quad-core, Snapdragon 801 chipset and 2 GB of RAM, the M8 was super-responsive and the KitKat OS never lagged no matter how many apps and web pages I loaded. Those of you that like to take pictures will love how it allows you to refocus after you taken the picture. It pulls off this feat by utilizing a second lens to perform depth-sensing operations. The camera snaps pictures blazingly fast and the sensor lets in more light which makes it perfect for low-light settings. With Selfies being all the rage these days, HTC stepped up to the plate for a 5 megapixel front-facing camera.

I’m really digging the optional Dot View case. With the case closed, you can see things like the time, temperature and current weather. You can also receive notifications for things like SMS, the phone, email, and calendar. It’s a very innovative way to protect your phone while increasing its utility.

It’s fair to say that I’ve barely scratched the surface of the few features found in the 2014 model of the HTC One. The high-end Android market is extremely competitive and Samsung’s Galaxy S5 will be launching soon. In the brushed aluminum vs. plastic competition, the new HTC wins hands-down. I just returned from Mobile World Congress and all I saw was an endless sea of rectangular, identical Android phones. Like the first HTC-designed device I ever used, the Compaq iPaq, this new smartphone is a refreshing departure from the rest of the pack.

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